1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input device for inputting positional information and fingerprint information to an information processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, in order to protect confidential information recorded in an information processing apparatus, a method of detecting a fingerprint of an operator has been employed as a means for identifying individuals more positively. In case the information processing apparatus has a fingerprint detecting function, a dedicated fingerprint detector generally should be either incorporated in the information processing apparatus or provided outside the information processing apparatus so as to be connected thereto.
FIG. 2 shows a configuration of a conventional information processing apparatus including a host computer 15, a fingerprint detecting unit 14 for detecting fingerprints and a touch pad unit 24 for inputting positional information so as to act as a mouse for displacing a cursor on a screen. As shown in FIG. 2, in the known information processing apparatus, the fingerprint detecting unit 14 and the touch pad unit 24 are provided entirely independently of each other and are connected to the host computer 15 such that the host computer 15 not only controls each of the fingerprint detecting unit 14 and the touch pad unit 24 but processes information from each of the fingerprint detecting unit 14 and the touch pad unit 24.
The fingerprint detecting unit 14 is constituted by a fingerprint sensor 11 for detecting a fingerprint from a depressed finger of each of operator, a fingerprint detection controller 12 which receives a fingerprint detection control signal CS1 from the host computer 15 and generates a control signal for causing the fingerprint sensor 11 to send out a detection signal, and a fingerprint detection signal processor 13 for outputting to the host computer 15 the detection signal delivered from the fingerprint sensor 11, as a fingerprint detection signal DS1 of the operator.
Meanwhile, the touch pad unit 24 is constituted by a position sensor 21 for detecting a position of contact of the finger of the operator with the position sensor 21, a touch pad controller 22 which receives a touch pad control signal CS2 from the host computer 15 and produces a further control signal for causing the position sensor 21 to transmit a further detection signal, and a positional detection signal processor 23 for outputting to the host computer 15 the further detection signal issued from the position sensor 21, as a positional detection signal DS2.
The host computer 15 compares the fingerprint detection signal DS1 delivered from the fingerprint detection unit 14, with stored fingerprint data so as to discriminate whether or not the operator is a specific individual and receives the positional detection signal DS2 from the touch pad unit 24 so as to perform such information processings as displacing the cursor to coordinates on the screen corresponding to the positional detection signal DS2.
However, in the prior art information processing apparatus including the fingerprint detection unit 14 and the touch pad unit 24 as described above, since the operator should actually contact the two similar sensors 11 and 21, there is a risk that the operator may contact each of the sensors 11 and 21 for a wrong purpose.
Furthermore, in case the known information processing apparatus is made portable, the two sensors 11 and 21 constitute an obstacle to achievement of making the known information processing apparatus compact, light and inexpensive.
Accordingly, an essential object of the present invention is to provide a touch pad having a fingerprint detecting function, which eliminates such a conventional risk that an operator may contact each of two sensors for a wrong purpose.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus employing the touch pad, which can be made compact, light and inexpensive so as to be suitable for portable use.
In order to accomplish these objects of the present invention, the touch pad of the present invention is characterized in that a single sensor acts not only as a fingerprint sensor but as a position sensor. Namely, a touch pad according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a fingerprint and position sensor which acts not only as a fingerprint sensor for detecting a fingerprint of a finger but as a position sensor for detecting a position of contact of the finger with the position sensor; a processor for processing an output from the fingerprint and position sensor; and a fingerprint detection and touch pad controller for controlling the fingerprint and position sensor and the processor; wherein the processor selectively outputs one of fingerprint detection data and positional detection data to an information processing apparatus as an input from the finger.